Blaming GPs is easier than closing hospitals

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. . . but redirecting money into the community is the only way to allow the NHS to survive

It seemed such a good idea at the time. Get rid of all those faceless
bureaucrats and quangos and put doctors in charge of the NHS. GPs, so the
Health Secretary argued, have the interests of their patients at heart and
best understand the needs of local communities.

Out went the unloved primary care trusts and strategic health authorities. And
from April 1, in came NHS England with its cuddly new clinical commissioning
groups, largely run by family doctors. Andrew Lansley, who pioneered these
reforms, had enough faith in these public-minded GPs to put them in charge
of £65 billion